The Northernmost Point of Mainland Okinawa! Dynamic View from “Cape Hedo”

It takes about 3 hours from Naha Airport by car. After exiting the express way, passing by several “michi no eki (roadside station),” and driving up north along the coast sandwiched between the forest and the ocean in a laidback atmosphere, you will get to “Cape Hedo.”

What came into your view first is a very tourist-friendly word, “Welcome to Cape Hedo! The Northernmost Point of Mainland Okinawa!” You feel very happy and want to shout out, “Phew! Finally I have arrived!”

The cape, a part of the Okinawa Coastal Quasi-National Park, has a characteristically rugged geography on a raised coral cliff. The walking path cuts through the lush green to stretch out to the lookout.

The further you walk on the white path, the nearer a refreshing ocean view you can get.

The view from the observatory facing the sea is truly a magnificent landscape!

On a sunny day, you can view Yoron Island in Kagoshima Prefectrure, which is about 28km ahead. A deep blue ocean field spreads beyond the cut-edge cliff, seemingly enveloping everything.

When wind blows strong, you can sometimes see a dynamic, high splash against the cliff and feel an overwhelming energy of Nature.

To the left of the cape, you can view Iheya Island and Izena Island floating on the horizon.

The stone monument on the lookout was erected when Okinawa was finally reverted to mainland Japan in 1972. Just thinking that the monument was built at the nearest point in mainland Okinawa to Kagoshima Prefecture, I can feel the feeling of Okinawan people longing for their homeland across the ocean when Okinawa was under U.S. rule.

This is “Monument in honor of Friendship between Kunigami Village and Yoronjima.” The monument was erected as a proof of the friendship for Yoron Island and mainland Okinawa to hold an annual exchange meeting on the sea when Okinawa was under U.S. military control.

There are some more monuments. If you trace the history of each one, it might touch the heart of a traveler.

Cape Hedo is also well-known as one of the best spot for the sunrise on New Year’s Day in mainland Okinawa. When you have a chance to go to the Yanbaru area, this is one of my strongly-recommended dynamic landscapes.